MSOC11-12-00

ESU-Dowling NCAA Soccer

OAKDALE, N.Y. - Sweeper back Sean Stewart and goalie Jason Land were the heroes as East Stroudsburg University defeated Dowling 1-1, 3-2 on penalty kicks, in the first round of the NCAA Division II soccer tournament.

The Warriors will now play New Hampshire College in the quarter-finals next weekend at a site to be determined. New Hampshire defeated St. Anselm 1-0 in its first round game.

After the teams had battled to a 1-1 tie through regulation time and four overtime periods, they went to penalty kicks. ESU's Jorge Chapoy, Kamar Samuels and Stewart converted kicks for the Warriors. Dowling could make only two of their penalty kicks with Leonard Doramodou and Abdul Karim Diallo connecting. ESU goalie Jason Land saved two of the penalty kicks and one of the Golden Lions' shots went wide.

It actually came down to the final kick, with the penalty kick score tied at 2-2, when Stewart took the line and booted the ball to the lower right corner past goalie Mervin Shade.

That set up a wild celebration as ESU fans mobbed Stewart and Land in celebrating ESU's first NCAA win since 1997 and first-ever penalty kick victory.

Stewart had scored the team's lone goal in regulation booting in a direct kick from 20 yard s out with 16:53 gone in the game. That tied the score at 1-1.

Dowling had taken a quick 1-0 lead after only 1:15 as Georges Haba curled in a corner kick past Land who slipped on the play. It broke the ESU goalie's string of 574 scoreless minutes, but the junior from Carney's Point NY came up big the rest of the game, punching away shots that were apparently headed for the back of the nets.

Both teams had numerous scoring opportunities. ESU dominated the third overtime period and shots by Eric Kolar and Troy Grubb were just headed away on defensive saves by the Dowling back line.

The fourth overtime period belonged to the Golden Lions as Moussa Sy and Lorrenzo Henry almost had game enders, only to be denied by Land and the defensive unit headed by Stewart, Erik Buksa , Kurt Nusshag, and Kamar Samuels.

The win gave the Warriors a measure of revenge for one of their two losses this season, a 1-0 loss at Dowling in late September. Coach Jerry Sheska's team matched its further advance ever in NCAA tournament play.

Under NCAA rules, the game will go into the books as a tie leaving the Warriors with a 17-2-2 record while Dowling's season ended at 14-2-1.

ESU and New Hampshire tied, 0-0, in the season-opening New Hampshire Tournament.

ESU-Dowling NCAA Soccer

East Stroudsburg (17-2-2) 1-0-0-0-0-0 1

Dowling (14-2-1) 1-0-0-0-0-0 1

East Stroudsburg wins on penalty kicks, 3-2

Scoring Summary:

D - Georges Haba (unassisted) 1:15

E - Sean Stewart (unassisted) 16:53

Penalty Kick Summary

Dowling: Leonard Doramodou, good

ESU: Jorge Chapoy, good

Dowling:Georges Haba, wide left

ESU: Kamar Samuels, good

Dowling: Andre Phillip, saved by Land

ESU:Eric Kolar, wide left

Dowling: Moussa Sy, saved by Land

ESU: Tom Mustac, saved by Shade

Dowling: Abuol Karim Diallo, good

ESU: Sean Stewart, good

Shots: ESU 22, Dowling 25; Corner Kicks: ESU 9, Dowling 6; Goalie Saves: ESU, Jason Land 7; Dowling, Mervin Shade 7